UFC commentator Joe Rogan shared his thoughts on heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson training with UFC legend Jon Jones.
With Jones in his corner, Steveson was knocked out in just 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf in a true stunner at UFC 331 last month. By the betting odds, it was the biggest upset in UFC history.
Now that Steveson has tasted defeat for the first time in his MMA career, Rogan has questioned if the heavyweight prospect has the right training partner.
Joe Rogan’s Thoughts on Gable Steveson Training Alongside Jon Jones
Speaking on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan explained the dilemma that Steveson has by training with Jones.
“That’s the problem: You’re hanging out with a guy who’s the GOAT, and you start thinking you’re the next guy. You might be. You could be – if you do the right things. But if you believe it before it happens … you have to be cautious, but also confident. There’s this dance of the mind. There’s so much going on to be an elite fighter,” Rogan said (via MMAjunkie.com).
“You have to be aware. Look at Kamaru Usman. Beating Leon Edwards for four rounds, all of a sudden one head kick – boom, lost the title. Never the same guy – because you’re human. As tough as Kamaru is, he’s an (expletive) human being. It’s a wild dance of possibilities, but it’s also one of the reasons why people love the sport so much. What you did elevated the whole sport.”
What’s Next for Gable Steveson?
After losing to Sharaf, Steveson seems likely to take some time off, regroup, and get back to the drawing board after suffering such an absolutely devastating loss.
He still has all the athletic tools to be great in this sport, but until he learns how to properly defend strikes thrown his way, he won’t go very far in this sport, as the heavyweights in the UFC hit extremely hard, and just one punch can put anyone’s lights out.
So, will Steveson continue to train with Jones? For now, yes. But perhaps going forward, he may need to find a different mentor.
Joe Rogan Comments on Gable Steveson Training With Jon Jones